Baylor's new QB, defense flex muscle in win over SMU

Updated 12:36 am, Monday, September 3, 2012

Baylor receiver Tevin Reese, left, and quarterback Nick Florence connect for a celebration after hooking up on a 50-yard touchdown pass.

Baylor receiver Tevin Reese, left, and quarterback Nick Florence connect for a celebration after hooking up on a 50-yard touchdown pass.

Photo: LM Otero

Baylor's new QB, defense flex muscle in win over SMU

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WACO - The post-Robert Griffin III era opened Sunday night with one element that was missing during Baylor's magical rise to national relevance last season.

Nick Florence was prolific in replacing the Heisman Trophy winner with a strong effort that showed the Bears might not have as much offensive drop-off as expected.

But the big story was an opportunistic Baylor defense that played well for most of the game and helped the Bears cruise to a 59-24 victory over SMU.

The Bears limited SMU to 10 points through three quarters before the Mustangs added a couple of garbage-time touchdowns at the end of the game to make the final margin more presentable.

"I felt like in that first half we came out and played well, really well," Baylor safety Sam Holl said. "The second half, we wish we didn't give up those points, but we made some big strides."

Florence finished 21-of-30 for 341 yards and a career-best four touchdowns before he was pulled at the end of the third quarter.

"I thought it was a good performance, but I want to get better," said Florence, who helped the Bears score 45 points through three quarters despite their having the ball for less than 16 minutes to that point.

Coming into the game, Baylor coach Art Briles admitted he wasn't sure what he could expect from a team that wasn't expected to challenge for a Big 12 title for a second straight season.

"We have a lot of respect for SMU, and this was a big, big game for us," Briles said. "We were really happy they rose to the challenge."

It helped that the Bears and Florence were sharp early. Baylor scored on its first two drives of the game, both capped by Florence touchdown passes - a 6-yard score to Lanear Sampson and a 5-yard strike to tight end Jordan Najvar.

The victory was a little piece of redemption for Baylor defensive coordinator Phil Bennett, who was SMU's head coach from 2002-07. After he was fired, Bennett resurfaced with Briles' staff after three seasons at Pittsburgh.

Bennett's debut season was a little rocky as the Bears ranked 102nd or worse in every major team defensive statistic. In their final 2011 game, they were blistered for 620 yards in a 67-56 victory over Washington in the Valero Alamo Bowl.

"Coming into the season, this was a defense that was doubted," Baylor middle linebacker Bryce Hager said. "We were probably one of the worst-ranked defenses in the nation. So this was a huge game for us. I felt we were a lot more physical and faster."

But like last year, the Baylor defense continues to have a knack for producing turnovers. That trend continued Sunday with two key ones that turned the game's momentum.

SMU was driving for a score at the Baylor 9 when linebacker Eddie Lackey intercepted a tipped pass and returned it to the Baylor 25.

Three plays later, Florence hooked up with Tevin Reese on a 50-yard TD pass that boosted the Bears' lead to 21-3.

And Mike Hicks added a 66-yard fumble recovery for another score to stymie SMU's first possession of the second half.